Paper hanger (Mundelein's speech) facts for kids

The paper hanger speech was a talk given by Cardinal George Mundelein. He spoke to about 500 priests from the Catholic Church in Chicago. This happened at a seminary in Chicago, Illinois, on May 18, 1937. In his speech, Cardinal Mundelein talked about how people's opinions in Germany were changing.

He said:

'Perhaps you will ask how it is that a nation of 60 million intelligent people will submit in fear and servitude to an alien, an Austrian paper hanger, and a poor one at that, and a few associates like Goebbels and Göring, who dictate every move of the people's lives?' The Cardinal also suggested that the minds of 60 million Germans had been tricked without them even noticing it.

What "Paper Hanger" Meant

There is some debate about whether Adolf Hitler ever actually worked putting up wallpaper. One man, John Schimmel, who grew up in Transylvania, said he knew Hitler when he was learning this job.

However, the term "paper hanger" was used to insult Hitler. It suggested he was just a laborer who used his hands more than his brain. It also hinted that he offered "fake art" instead of real, original art. Because of this, the term became popular among people who were against Hitler's ideas.

Hitler's Response

Hitler tried to get back at Cardinal Mundelein. He arranged for a German family to challenge the will of a deceased priest, Fr. William Netstraeter. This priest had left $300,000, which Cardinal Mundelein was using to build the University of St. Mary of the Lake. A court in Chicago later decided that the will was valid. The money was then quickly used to build the current church in Wilmette.

In Pop Culture

The phrase "paper hanger" was also used in the song "Springtime for Hitler". This song is from the musical The Producers. In the song, a funny version of Hitler starts a speech by saying, "I was just a paper hanger, no one more obscurer."